Central District of Illinois
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Three Peoria Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of a Confidential InformantRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Three Peoria men were sentenced this week for robbing a confidential informant of $1,200 at gunpoint during a federal firearms investigation in May 2023.
Hunter Coombs, 24, of the 1600 block of North Delaware Street in Peoria, Illinois pleaded guilty to robbery of currency of the United States in October 2023 and was sentenced on June 3, 2024, to 46 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Germaine R. Hill, Jr., 26, of the 2700 block of West Rohmann Avenue, West Peoria, Illinois pleaded guilty in November 2023 to robbery of currency of the United States and was sentenced on June 5, 2024, to 46 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Rashon J. Miller, 25, of the 500 block of Vine Street, Peoria, Illinois pleaded guilty in December 2023 to robbery of currency of the United States and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Miller was sentenced on June 5, 2024, to a total of 84 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearings before U.S. District Judge Joe B. McDade, the government established that Hill, Miller, and Coombs acted together to rob a government informant at gunpoint. Hill told the victim that he had a handgun for sale that was equipped with an auto-sear, enabling it to fire as a fully automatic machinegun. Coombs drove Hill and Miller to meet with the buyer. Instead of selling a machinegun, Miller pointed a loaded gun at the victim and took the $1,200 purchase money. After the robbery, members of the Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force apprehended all three men, recovered the stolen money, and recovered two loaded semi-automatic firearms from the passenger compartment of the getaway car. All three men admitted that they discussed and planned the robbery prior to meeting with the informant.
A complaint was filed in federal court in early June 2023 against all three defendants, followed by an indictment a few weeks later in June 2023. All defendants have been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since May 2023.
The statutory penalties for robbery of money of the United States is not more than 25 years’ imprisonment, with a possible $250,000 fine. Use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence carries a sentence of seven years to life imprisonment, to be served consecutively to the sentence for the violent crime. Each count carries up to five years of supervised release following imprisonment.
The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Peoria Felon Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Christopher J. Melahn, 35, of the 1400 block of North Rhodora Avenue, has been sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon. Co-defendant Jamarcus J. Hollingsworth, 30, was sentenced in January 2024 to 57 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release on the same charge.
At the sentencing hearing before Senior U.S. District Judge Joe B. McDade, the government
established that in May 2023, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives received information that Hollingsworth, a felon, was in possession of firearms and was offering to sell a pistol in Peoria. The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force conducted an investigation that led to the arrest of Hollingsworth at a hotel on West War Memorial Drive. During the arrest, agents found both Hollingsworth and Melahn, also a felon, in possession of a firearm.
A federal criminal complaint was filed against Melahn and Hollingsworth in May 2023 and an indictment followed in June 2023. Hollingsworth pleaded guilty in September 2023, and Melahn plead guilty in October 2023. Melahn and Hollingsworth have been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since their arrests in May 2023.
The statutory penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon are up to 15 years’ imprisonment and up to three years of supervised release.
The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Melahn is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 30 months in Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Springfield, Ill. – On June 3, 2024, a Springfield man, Kyle W. Harris, 29, of the 1700 block of East Watch Avenue was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment for bank robbery. Harris will serve a two-year term of supervised release following his imprisonment.
At the sentencing hearing, the government showed that on December 15, 2021, Harris robbed a Marine Bank branch in Springfield of just over $6,000 after passing a teller a note indicating he would shoot everyone in the bank. No firearm was brandished. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough noted that the bank employees and patrons were terrorized by the actions of the defendant.
Harris pled guilty on December 1, 2023. He has remained in the custody of the United States Marshal since the guilty plea.
The statutory penalties for bank robbery are not more than 20 years of imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.
The Springfield Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Harris is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Springfield, Illinois Man Convicted of Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on May 29, 2024, against James Russwinkel of the 20th block of Country Lake Road, Springfield, Illinois, for possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm or ammunition by a felon. Sentencing for Russwinkel is scheduled for October 2, 2024, at 1:30 P.M., at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois before U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless.
During two days of testimony, the government presented evidence that, on May 8, 2020, Russwinkel, a convicted felon, was stopped while driving and subsequently arrested by Springfield Police Officers because he had an outstanding warrant. During a search of Russwinkel, officers found a loaded 9mm magazine, a loose 9mm round, and a large amount of U.S. Currency. Police Officers then searched the vehicle and located within arm’s reach of Russwinkel, a black backpack containing over 26 grams of methamphetamine in multiple bags, a 9mm pistol without its magazine, and an even larger amount of U.S. Currency. In total, $14,637 was seized. The jury found that the defendant possessed the methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug distribution. The jury also found Russwinkel possessed the firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
Russwinkel remains in the custody of U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing. At sentencing, Russwinkel faces statutory penalties of not less than five years and up to forty years in prison for possession with intent to deliver five grams or more of methamphetamine; not less than 5 years in prison consecutive to the possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute charge for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and not more than 10 years in prison, for possession of a firearm or ammunition by a felon.
The prosecution was the result of an investigation by Springfield Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Tanner K. Jacobs and Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government at trial.
The case against Russwinkel is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Pekin Man Charged with Possessing Homemade Explosive Devices and a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
Peoria, Ill. – A Pekin, Illinois man, Dalton Lee Mattus, of the 30th block of S. 2nd Street, has been charged by criminal complaint with unlawful possession of homemade explosive devices and possessing a firearm as a felon, announced the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois Gregory K. Harris.
The complaint alleges that, following a traffic stop on May 17, 2024, police located several syringes, a small scale, and a padlocked bag in the passenger area of Mattus’s car. Inside the bag, police located a stolen handgun and two homemade destructive devices. The devices were cylinder-shaped and were each equipped with yellow pyrotechnic fuses. Each device was glued shut on both ends with metallic BBs mixed throughout the glue. Police later searched Mattus’s apartment where they located three additional explosive devices, live firearm ammunition, and additional materials used in the construction of destructive devices.
Mattus, whose record includes multiple felony convictions, was arrested on May 17, 2024, and charged in Tazewell County state court with felon in possession of a firearm. Mattus was detained following a detention hearing in state court. A preliminary/detention hearing is scheduled for June 4, 2024, at 2:30 P.M. at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
Members of the public are reminded that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
If convicted, Mattus faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Springfield Field Office, Pekin Police Department, and Peoria Police Department. Ronald L. Hanna is representing the government in the prosecution.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 14 months in Prison for Threats Against the President of the United StatesRead the Press Release
Springfield, Ill. – A Jacksonville, Illinois, man, Adam Ray Mouser, 40, of the 500 block of Brooklyn Avenue, has been sentenced to 14 months imprisonment, to be followed by 24 months of supervised release, for threats against the President of the United States.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that the defendant used social media to threaten violence against the President of the United States, his family, a former President, Secretary of State, as well as various Members of Congress.
At the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen R. Lawless said “words do matter” and stated, “I believe it is common sense to not threaten to kill another individual.” She also noted that the threats repeated and escalated, even with the U.S. Secret Service going to his house. Judge Lawless found that the defendant made multiple threats to multiple victims in connection with the threat to President Biden.
Mouser pled guilty on January 19, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. McNaught to the one count indictment. He has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest on August 28, 2023.
The statutory penalties for threats against the President of the United States are up to five years imprisonment, up to three years supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.
The United States Secret Service investigated the case with assistance from the United States Marshals Service and the Jacksonville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
Former DuPage County Assistant State’s Attorney Charged with Communicating Interstate Threat to Two Illinois State Representatives and OthersRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A DuPage County, Illinois, man, Samuel J. Cundari, 30, has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure another person in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 875(c).
The complaint alleges that on March 17, 2024, the Illinois State Police were contacted by two Illinois State Representatives about a threat that they had received via the social media company X, formerly known as Twitter. The social media post stated, “Our patience grows short with you. The day we put your kids’ feet first into a woodchipper so we can enjoy their last few screams is coming.” Besides the two state representatives, five other individuals or groups were “tagged” with the post to include the Illinois Attorney General. As a result, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division began an investigation.
The complaint further alleges that on May 15, 2024, the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received an online tip regarding a post on X that seemed to be in response to an advertisement about the Springfield PrideFest which occurred on May 18, 2024. In the post, it states: “I sure hope NOBODY leaves a pressure cooker filled with bail bearings, glass, and nails, filled with diesel fuel and fertilizer, with the over pressure safety valve disabled, near a natural gas line line [sic]. That would be VERY sad and VERY unfortunate.”
The complaint also alleges that law enforcement traced the two social media posts to Samuel Cundari of DuPage County, Illinois who used the internet to communicate the threats. At the time the posts were made, Cundari was an Assistant State’s Attorney in DuPage County. If convicted of communicating an interstate threat, Cundari faces a maximum sentence of imprisonment of no more than five years. The charge also carries up to three years of supervised release and a possible fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Springfield Field Office with assistance by multiple law enforcement agencies including: FBI Chicago and FBI Indianapolis Field Offices, the Illinois Secretary of State Police, the Illinois State Police, the Springfield Police Department, the Pierceton Police Department (Indiana), United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Investigations Unit, and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger.
Members of the public are reminded that the charges in a complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Monroe City, Missouri Woman Sentenced to 120 Months for Distributing Methamphetamine in Quincy, IllinoisRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Monroe City, Missouri, woman, Amanda Carroll, 35, was sentenced on May 23, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough to 120 months in prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine.
Carroll was indicted in April of 2023 and pleaded guilty in August 2023. She has been detained by the United States Marshals Service since being arrested.
At sentencing, the government showed that on March 13, 2023, Carroll was travelling from Missouri to Quincy, Illinois with approximately one-half of pound of almost pure methamphetamine when her vehicle was stopped and searched after a K9 alert. When she was taken to jail, more methamphetamine was found on Carroll’s person. All total, she was held responsible for 223.8 grams of methamphetamine.
The statutory penalties for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine are up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the West Central Illinois Task Force, Illinois State Police, Quincy Police Department, and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Carroll is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with CEFCU to Ensure Access for People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – The Department of Justice announced today it has entered into a settlement agreement with the Citizens Equity First Credit Union (“CEFCU”) to resolve alleged violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The agreement requires the credit union to adopt an ADA policy, train its staff, and provide services to the complainant.
The settlement resolves an ADA complaint alleging that CEFCU refused, on multiple occasions, to serve an individual with a hearing disability over the phone because the individual was using an interpreter to communicate on the calls. According to the complaint, when the individual called CEFCU using an interpreter, CEFCU refused to speak with the individual through the interpreter and said it could not proceed with a third-party present on the call.
The complaint prompted an investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois. The ADA requires that places of public accommodation like banks or credit unions provide equal access to their services and respond to telephone calls from individuals using sign language interpreters in the same manner they respond to other telephone calls.
“Many people with disabilities communicate through interpreters and the law protects their right to equal access through such services,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua I. Grant for the Central District of Illinois. “We appreciate CEFCU’s cooperation and commitment to ensuring access to its services for all of its customers. We encourage all business and places of public accommodation in the Central District of Illinois to review their policies and training, so they are prepared to facilitate or provide interpretive services when needed.”
Under the agreement, the credit union will create an ADA policy and provide training to its staff about the ADA’s requirements to ensure equal access to its services for customers with disabilities. Without admitting violating the ADA, CEFCU also agreed to a monetary payment to the complainant to fully resolve the matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua I. Grant represented the government during the investigation and settlement process. The ADA requires that places of public accommodation like banks offer people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from their services, programs, and activities. For more information about the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov, or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at https://www.justice.gov/crt/how-file-complaint.
Four Peorians Sentenced After Multiple Attempts to Steal Guns from Federal Firearms LicenseesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – After serving over six months in county jail, the last of four defendants, Erika Garner, 22, of the 6500 block of North Lexington Drive in Peoria, Illinois, was sentenced on May 21, 2024, to time served, followed by three years of supervised release for conspiring in August 2023 to burglarize gun stores in Spring Valley, Taylorville, LeRoy, Lincoln, Decatur and Bloomington.
Three other defendants also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and possess firearms from federal firearms licensees.
Dezmond Hardy, 23, of the 4000 block of North Brandywine Drive, Peoria, Illinois was sentenced on May 16, 2024, to 21 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
Shaleik Ward, 20, of the 2700 block of West Trewyn Avenue, Peoria, Illinois was sentenced on May 9, 2024, to 15 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Terrence Daniels, 23, of the 4000 block of North Brandywine Drive, Peoria, Illinois was sentenced on May 9, 2024, to 45 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years supervised release. Daniels’ sentence was a combination of a 33-month prison sentence imposed for the conspiracy charge and a 12-month consecutive prison sentence imposed for committing the offense while on supervised release for committing the same conduct in 2019 and 2020 when he and others stole 50 firearms during a five-county burglary spree of gun stores.
A complaint was filed in August 2023, followed by an indictment in September 2023 against Daniels, Ward, Hardy and Garner. All four entered guilty pleas in January 2024.
Daniels, Ward, and Hardy have remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since their arrest. Garner was originally released on bond, but her bond was revoked in November 2023 after she was found to have violated her conditions of release.
All the defendants must jointly pay $2,500 in restitution for damages to one of the businesses.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that on multiple occasions between August 14 and August 18, 2023, the defendants, in varying combinations of participants, drove from Peoria to six different towns located throughout Central Illinois, and attempted to burglarize guns stores. The defendants attempted to steal guns from Mean Metal in Spring Valley; Powder Keg Outfitters in Taylorville; Guns and Glory in Le Roy; Tactical Bunker in Lincoln; Archers Alley in Decatur; and Smiley’s Sports Shop in Bloomington. Although multiple businesses suffered property damage, the defendants failed to enter any of the stores and no firearms were taken during the attempted burglaries. All four defendants were arrested on August 18, 2023, when members of the Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force and Peoria Police conducted a vehicle containment maneuver on War Memorial Drive as the defendants returned from their most recent failed attempt.
The statutory penalties for conspiracy to steal and possess firearms from a federal firearms licensee is up to five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
“Stolen guns are used to commit acts of violence in our communities,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna. “Our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners worked together to quickly resolve this case before any guns got into the wrong hands.”
The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. The Spring Valley, Taylorville, and Decatur Police Departments also participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Scheme to Defraud ConsumersRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. –Jeffrey D. Gibbs, 58, of Farmer City, Illinois pleaded guilty on May 14, 2024, to 6 felony charges related to his scheme to defraud local boat owners and the banks that financed his business.
Gibbs and co-defendant Kara M. Wilkey, 49, of Maroa, Illinois, were indicted in December 2020, with multiple counts of wire fraud, bank fraud, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. Wilkey pleaded guilty to 6 of the charges in August 2021. Sentencings for both Gibbs and Wilkey have been scheduled for September 19, 2024, at 9:00 am in the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid.
Gibbs and Wilkey were two employees of the now defunct boat and watercraft dealership, Mid Illinois Boats, Inc., that did business as Clinton Marine II. Gibbs and Wilkey used the dealership to defraud customers and lending institutions out of approximately $4.7 million.
In pleading guilty, Gibbs and Wilkey admitted that, from January 2014 to July 2019, they used their positions with Clinton Marine II, which included management of day-to-day operations, to carry out a fraud involving floorplan financing. The fraud included obtaining loans on fictitious boats and on false transactions; taking out loans using forged signatures; selling boats on behalf of customers, but not paying off the customer’s loan or remitting payment to the seller; and, collecting payment for taxes, titles, and fees, but failing to pay those expenses.
Both Gibbs and Wilkey were released on statutory conditions of release pending sentencing.
Gibbs plead guilty to 3 counts of wire fraud, 2 counts of mail fraud and 1 count of aggravated identity theft. He faces total statutory penalties of up to 102 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $1,250,000, or twice the loss to the victims, and up to 4 years’ supervised release upon completion of imprisonment.
Wilkey pleaded guilty to 3 counts of wire fraud, 2 counts of bank fraud and 1 count of aggravated identity theft. She faces total statutory penalties of up to 122 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $3,000,000, or twice the loss to the victims, and up to 5 years’ supervised release upon completion of imprisonment.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, with the assistance of the DeWitt County Sheriff’s Office; the Illinois Department of Natural Resources; and the Illinois Secretary of State. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer is representing the government in the case prosecution.
Bloomington Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Receiving and Distributing Drugs Through the Postal ServiceRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Bloomington, Illinois husband and wife, Wesley Noonan, 50, and Christina Noonan, 44, of the 1900 block of East Taylor, were sentenced on May 8, 2024, to federal prison for conspiring to distribute, and possessing with intent to distribute, the fentanyl analogue, para-Fluorofentanyl. Christina Noonan was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Wesley Noonan, whom the court found played a minor role in the conspiracy as compared to his wife, was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment. Wesley Noonan was also ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon completion of his term of imprisonment.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that Christina and Wesley Noonan, acting together, unlawfully received and sent a wide variety of drugs using the United States Postal Service. Acting from their home in Bloomington, Illinois, they utilized a popular phone application to coordinate with an overseas source of supply to obtain parcels of pills that they then further distributed throughout the United States using the United States Postal Service. The Noonans distributed these substances for over a year until April 6, 2022, when federal and state authorities executed a search warrant at their residence and uncovered the distribution center in their family home. A distribution log revealed that Christina, acting with Wesley’s assistance, mailed over 1,750 parcels containing over 250,000 Schedule I, II, and IV pills to locations in all 50 states between February 2021 and April 2022.The shipments included parcels logged as Tramadol, Zolpidem, Cathinone, Adderall, Lorazepam, Hydrocodone, Percocet, and other substances.
Although the Noonans distributed a diverse spectrum of pills, the search warrant on their home yielded approximately 1,750 pills marked as Adderall, but which in fact tested positive as para-Fluorofentanyl, a Schedule I opioid analgesic analogue of fentanyl.
A federal complaint, followed by an indictment, were filed in July 2022. Christina Noonan pleaded guilty in August 2023, and Wesley Noonan pleaded guilty in November 2023.
The statutory penalties for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute para-Fluorofentanyl are 10 years to life imprisonment, a possible $10,000,000 fine, followed by a minimum of 5 years of supervised release. At sentencing, both Christina and Wesley Noonan qualified for “safety valve” pursuant to 18 U.S.C. section 3553(f), which relieves certain drug trafficking offenders from statutory mandatory minimum sentences.
“This case demonstrates how illegal drug distribution is ever evolving and how law enforcement will use all available tools to counter it. It also shows why taking illegally obtained pills is extremely dangerous. As documented in DEA’s One Pill Can Kill campaign, an illegally obtained pill, often manufactured overseas, can appear to be one substance, like Adderall, and in fact be something very different and deadly like fentanyl,” explained Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Unit, which focuses on cases involving pharmaceutical controlled substances diverted from the legal chain of commerce to the illegal drug market, investigated this case in conjunction with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Springfield Clinic to Make its Online Services Accessible for People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Department of Justice announced today it has entered into a settlement agreement with the Springfield Clinic (Clinic) to resolve alleged violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Under the agreement, the Springfield Clinic must make its website, patient portals, and mobile applications accessible for patients with visual and manual impairments. Patients receiving medical care from the Clinic rely on its online services to access personal medical information, review test results, communicate with healthcare providers, and pay bills. The agreement requires the Clinic to conform its online services to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Version 2.1, Level AA. WCAG is a set of industry guidelines for making online information accessible to users with disabilities, particularly those with visual and manual impairments.
“People with disabilities must be able to access their personal medical information just like any other patient and without sacrificing their privacy or independence,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “We commend the Springfield Clinic’s cooperation and commitment to make its online services fully accessible. We encourage all healthcare providers in the Central District of Illinois to review their online services to ensure they are fully accessible.”
The settlement resolves an ADA complaint filed with the Department of Justice alleging that a patient with a visual impairment was unable to access their medical information online or pay a bill. According to the complaint, the patient had to call the Clinic and have personal medical information read over the phone. Without admitting to violating the ADA, the Clinic also agreed to a monetary payment to the complainant to fully resolve the matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua I. Grant represented the government during the investigation and settlement process. The ADA requires that places of public accommodation like healthcare providers offer people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from their services, programs, and activities. The settlement is part of the Civil Rights Division’s Tech Equity Initiative to combat disability discrimination that occurs through technology, such as in websites and mobile apps. For more information about the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov, or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (TTY 833-610-1264). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at www.civilrights.justice.gov.
Petersburg, Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Thirty-Four Felony Counts Involving Crimes Against ChildrenRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Petersburg, Illinois, man, Adam L. Power, 30, of the 500 block of 8th Street in Petersburg, Illinois, pleaded guilty to seven counts of production of child pornography, eight counts of distribution of child pornography, eighteen counts of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography on May 3, 2024, for his criminal actions between July 2022 and February 2023. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for September 5, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.
According to the facts in support of his plea, Power, while using online chatting applications such as Snapchat and Kik, identified himself as a minor female to get minor males to produce child pornographic images and videos of themselves. Additionally, Power distributed as well as received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Power was originally arrested in Petersburg, Illinois, on March 21, 2023, and charged for possession of child pornography by the Menard County State’s Attorney’s Office. On June 30, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois in Springfield charged the defendant with production, distribution, and receipt of child pornography. A Grand Jury returned a ten-count indictment on July 6, 2023. Subsequently, on January 3, 2024, the Grand Jury returned a superseding indictment charging him with a total of thirty-four counts involving crimes against children. Power has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since June 30, 2023.
Each count of production of child pornography carries a statutory penalty of at least fifteen years with a maximum of thirty years’ imprisonment. The charges of receipt and distribution of child pornography carry a penalty of at least five years to a maximum of twenty years’ imprisonment; and for possession of child pornography, he can be penalized up to twenty years imprisonment.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Department of Homeland Security, Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Athens Police Department, Illinois State Police, Petersburg Police Department, and the Menard County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs is representing the government in the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Petersburg, Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Thirty-Four Felony Counts Involving Crimes Against ChildrenRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Petersburg, Illinois, man, Adam L. Power, 30, of the 500 block of 8th Street in Petersburg, Illinois, pleaded guilty to seven counts of production of child pornography, eight counts of distribution of child pornography, eighteen counts of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography on May 3, 2024, for his criminal actions between July 2022 and February 2023. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for September 5, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.
According to the facts in support of his plea, Power, while using online chatting applications such as Snapchat and Kik, identified himself as a minor female to get minor males to produce child pornographic images and videos of themselves. Additionally, Power distributed as well as received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Power was originally arrested in Petersburg, Illinois, on March 21, 2023, and charged for possession of child pornography by the Menard County State’s Attorney’s Office. On June 30, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois in Springfield charged the defendant with production, distribution, and receipt of child pornography. A Grand Jury returned a ten-count indictment on July 6, 2023. Subsequently, on January 3, 2024, the Grand Jury returned a superseding indictment charging him with a total of thirty-four counts involving crimes against children. Power has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since June 30, 2023.
Each count of production of child pornography carries a statutory penalty of at least fifteen years with a maximum of thirty years’ imprisonment. The charges of receipt and distribution of child pornography carry a penalty of at least five years to a maximum of twenty years’ imprisonment; and for possession of child pornography, he can be penalized up to twenty years imprisonment.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Department of Homeland Security, Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Athens Police Department, Illinois State Police, Petersburg Police Department, and the Menard County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs is representing the government in the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Champaign Woman Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on May 3, 2024, against Malaia A. Turner, 35, of the 2600th block of West Springfield Avenue, Champaign, Illinois, for conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Sentencing for Turner has been scheduled on September 23, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
Over four days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that Turner had conspired with several others to obtain large quantities of methamphetamine ice from suppliers in Illinois and California and transport those drugs to the Central District of Illinois. Members of the conspiracy, including Turner, then distributed the methamphetamine ice they had obtained to others for a profit in Illinois, including to customers in Champaign, Coles, and Edgar Counties.
Turner has been in the custody of the United States Marshal Service since her arrest in August 2022. At sentencing, Turner faces statutory penalties of ten years imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $10 million, and not less than a five-year term of supervised release upon her release from custody.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, Illinois State Police’s East Central Illinois Task Force, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel E. Ritzer and Timothy J. Sullivan represented the government at trial.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Springfield, Illinois Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Crimes Against ChildrenRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois man, James Simons, 32, of the 2000 block of South 5th Street in Springfield, Illinois, was sentenced to 35 years in the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release on April 23, 2024.
Simons, a registered sex offender, pleaded guilty on December 20, 2023, to the charges of sexual exploitation of a child, distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, attempted enticement of a minor, use of interstate facilities to attempt to transmit information about a minor, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, and penalties for registered sex offenders.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Collen R. Lawless, the government established that the defendant persuaded children to produce sexual images of themselves and send them to him for his sexual gratification. The Court further found that between August 13, 2020, and August 28, 2020, Simons communicated with an individual online he believed to be fifteen years old. Despite knowing the individual’s age, Simons discussed engaging in sexual activity with the minor, asked for the minor’s address, and sent child pornography to the child. On August 28, 2020, after confirming that the minor was alone, he asked for the child’s address and drove to the residence expecting to engage in sexual conduct; he was then arrested.
“This sentence sends a strong message to every perpetrator that the U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois and its law enforcement partners prioritize the protection of children and will use every resource at our disposal to ensure that the internet is not used by predators as their hunting ground.” said Assistant United States Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs.
“The FBI prioritizes investigations that protect children,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “This substantial sentence resulted from the dedicated efforts of our agents and law enforcement partners who work around the clock to stop perpetrators who harm our children.”
Simons was indicted in September 2020 and has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since his arrest in August 2020.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office with assistance from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; the Springfield Police Department; and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Simons was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Chillicothe, Missouri man, Scott Young, 37, was sentenced on April 25, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless to 60 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine.
Young was indicted in December 2019 and pleaded guilty in September 2023.
At sentencing, the Court found that Young had distributed methamphetamine on two occasions in Adams County, Illinois in 2019. The Court further noted the terrible effects methamphetamine use has had on communities in the Central District of Illinois.
The statutory penalties for distributing methamphetamine are up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Illinois State Police, and Quincy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Young is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Lincoln, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 156 Months for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Lincoln, Illinois, man, Curtis Kelly, 35, was sentenced on April 23, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless to 156 months in prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine.
Kelly was indicted in January 2023 and pleaded guilty in August 2023. He has been detained by the United States Marshals Service since December 21, 2022.
At sentencing, the government showed that Kelly conspired with Darryl Verser and Richard Dinger to distribute approximately 13 kilograms of methamphetamine to include specific drug transactions in November and December of 2022. Dinger is scheduled to be sentenced on May 17, 2024. The charges against Verser and another co-defendant, Nicholas Steele remain pending. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The statutory penalties for distributing methamphetamine are up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Illinois State Police, and Peoria Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Kelly is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 77 months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
Springfield, Ill. – A Springfield man, Navell J. White, age 44, of the 1300 block of North 4th Street, was sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 77 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person - a felon.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen R. Lawless, the government established that, during a traffic stop in September 2022, White, a felon, was found in possession of a Taurus G2 9mm pistol. During the hearing, Judge Lawless noted that White had a significant criminal history which included a pattern of domestic violence over several years.
White remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, where he has been since his federal arrest on February 3, 2023. He pleaded guilty to the one-count indictment on December 14, 2023, before Judge Lawless.
The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person are up to 15 years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
The Springfield Police Department investigated the firearms case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case against White is part of a committed effort to combat gun violence in Sangamon County, Illinois, by law enforcement including the Springfield Police Department, Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Peoria Woman Sentenced to 144 Months in Prison for Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois woman, Crystal Bennett, also known by the aliases, “Nancy Carpenter” and “Crystal Waynette Silsby”, 41, of the 1000 block of West Gift Avenue, was sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 144 months in the Bureau of Prisons for attempted possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government established that, on May 18, 2021, Bennett attempted to retrieve a package from a commercial shipping company store in East Peoria, Illinois. Bennett provided a store clerk with parcel tracking information and stated that the package was for her boyfriend. Based on suspicious behavior, law enforcement was called and determined that the package contained over 50 grams of methamphetamine with a substance purity of 98%. Bennett was arrested and officers located several drug ledgers during a search of her vehicle. In September 2021, Bennet was arrested again, when she was found in possession of over 250 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded gun that had previously been reported stolen, several grams of heroin, and over $2,400 cash.
An indictment was filed against Bennett in October 2022, and she was arrested and arraigned on the indictment in January 2023. Bennett was released on bond conditions in May 2023, but bond was revoked one week later. A guilty plea was entered in September 2023. Bennett has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since May 2023.
The statutory penalties for attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine are 5 to 40 years imprisonment, followed by not less than 4 years of supervised release. A maximum fine of up to $5,000,000 is also possible.
The United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, East Peoria Police Department, Macomb Police Department, and Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald L. Hanna and Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the government in the prosecution.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 81 Months in Prison for Federal Firearm and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Detrey D. Robinson, 28, of the 1800 block of West Ann Street, was sentenced on April 17, 2024, to a total of 81 months in the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for the following offenses:
Count 1: Felon in Possession of a Firearm, 21 months.
Count 2: Possession of a Machine Gun, 21 months.
Count 3: Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute, 21 months.
Count 4: Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, 60 months.
Counts 1 through 3 will be served concurrently, with the sentence on the 4th Count to be consecutive to the other three Counts, as mandated by statute.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government established that on June 22, 2023, agents from the Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force executed a federal search warrant at Robinson’s residence on W. Ann Street in Peoria. Robinson, a felon, was located inside the residence, along with a loaded AR-15, 5.56 caliber rifle, a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a 9mm Glock pistol. The Glock pistol was loaded as well and was equipped with a high-capacity extended ammunition magazine. The gun was further equipped with an auto-sear, commonly referred to as a “switch”. The switch enabled the pistol to fire as a fully automatic machinegun. In addition to the firearms, several drugs and drug-related items were found in Robinson’s bedroom, including cocaine, a scale, and over 200 plastic baggies consistent with those used in trafficking illicit drugs.
Robinson was originally charged by a criminal complaint filed in June 2023, followed by a four-count indictment in July 2023. He pleaded guilty to all 4 counts in November 2023. Robinson has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in June 2023.
The statutory penalties are as follows; Felon in Possession of a Firearm is up to 15 years imprisonment; Possession of a Machine Gun, up to 10 years imprisonment; Possession of a Controlled Substance, up to 20 years imprisonment; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, 5 years to life, to run consecutive to the other charges.
The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Springfield Restaurant Owner Pleads Guilty to Fraud Relating to LoansRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois man, Omar Hernandez-Lopez, 39, of the 8100 block of Tack Lane pleaded guilty on April 1, 2024, to misprision of a felony in connection with wire fraud and false statements on loan applications. Acceptance of the plea is pending before U.S, District Court Judge Sue Myerscough. Sentencing for Hernandez-Lopez has scheduled for August 29, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.
In court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. McNaught, Hernandez-Lopez admitted that starting around June 2018 and continuing until at least June 2019, he concealed the fraudulent nature of several falsified documents that were submitted to loan providers. Two fraudulent loan packages were submitted in an attempt to obtain a business loan for Hernandez-Lopez’s restaurant, La Fiesta Grande. The other two fraudulent loan packages were submitted in a successful attempt to obtain a home mortgage loan. Hernandez-Lopez was aware of the submission of fraudulent documents and took steps to conceal their fraudulent nature from the loan companies and law enforcement.
Hernandez-Lopez remains free pending sentencing.
Hernandez-Lopez faces the following statutory penalties: not more than 3 years in prison, not more than a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and restitution in an amount ordered by the Court.
The charges were investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, Chicago Region. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sierra Senor-Moore and Tanner Jacobs are representing the government in the prosecution.
Pere Marquette Hotel Developers Sentenced to a Combined Five and Half Years in Prison for Mail Fraud, Money Laundering and Bankruptcy ChargesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Pere Marquette Hotel developers Gary E. Matthews and Monte J. Brannan were sentenced yesterday in federal court. Matthews, 81, of the 400 block of Highview Road in East Peoria, Illinois, has been sentenced to 40 months in the Bureau of Prisons. Brannan, 71, of the 3200 block of North Elmcroft Terrace, Peoria, Illinois was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Chief Judge Sara Darrow, the Government presented evidence that in 2008, Matthews created GEM Hospitality, LLC for the purpose of owning and developing a premiere hotel complex in downtown Peoria, Illinois. This project included renovating the existing Pere Marquette Hotel, as well as developing a new Marriott Courtyard Hotel. Immediately upon its inception, Matthews began defrauding his investors, sweeping their investments into his existing business accounts, and using their funds for several purposes unrelated to the Pere Marquette project.
Brannan joined Matthews as a partner in the project in July 2011, and the Government presented evidence that once both hotels were opened, he and Matthews conspired to steal funds from the investors and lenders to the project and to launder their ill-gotten funds.
After a lengthy hearing, Matthews was found individually responsible for stealing more than $3,400,000 from more than thirty individual investors. Matthews and Brannan were found jointly responsible for stealing an additional $4,700,000 from the hotel projects lenders and investors.
Also at the hearing, Judge Darrow rejected Matthews and Brannan’s arguments that their actions were simply a contract dispute. In doing so, Judge Darrow noted that at the heart of Matthews and Brannan actions was their repeated decisions to lie and steal from others and that what they did was “theft.” She went on to note that they had hurt the project’s investors and lenders, and the Peoria community through their actions.
Brannan pleaded guilty mid-trial to the 3 bankruptcy charges, but both Matthews and Brannan were tried on the remaining 18 counts in the 11-day trial. Matthews was found guilty of all 5 of the mail fraud counts and 12 of the 13 money laundering charges. Brannan was found guilty of all 5 of the mail fraud counts and all 13 money laundering charges.
Both Matthews and Brannan were released after their sentencing but were given dates to report to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving their sentences. Their current bonds remain in full force and effect.
“The prosecution and conviction of Matthews and Brannan should serve as a reminder to those who are in positions of trust and authority, that they need to honor that trust.” said United States Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “The large-scale fraud committed in this case caused immense harm to individuals, businesses, and the City of Peoria. We will continue to seek justice and prosecute to the fullest those who take advantage of others for their own personal gain.”
"Gary Matthews and Monte Brannan presented a façade of upstanding businessmen, but in reality, they scammed lenders, creditors, and their community,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Despite the complexity of their deceitful business dealings, IRS Criminal Investigation and its fellow law enforcement partners were successful in bringing these two fraudsters to justice.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with its law enforcement partners, will aggressively investigate all schemes in which the U.S. Mail is used to victimize individuals and businesses and deprive them of their hard-earned money. These sentences are a clear indication that our investigative efforts will not cease until those responsible for such criminal acts are brought to justice,” said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
“Today’s sentence shows that abusive and fraudulent conduct will not be tolerated, and the bankruptcy system and its integrity will be protected through the commitment of U.S. Attorney Harris and our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Trustee Nancy J. Gargula for Region 10. The United States Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. Region 10, encompassing the districts of Indiana and Central and Southern Illinois, is headquartered in Indianapolis with additional offices in Peoria, IL and South Bend, IN.
The case investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer, Ronald L. Hanna, and William J. Lynch represented the government at trial. The case was presented to a federal grand jury for indictment by Criminal Chief Darilynn J. Knauss.
Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Rock Island, Ill. – A Chicago, Illinois, man, Eric A. Boyd, 55, of the 700 block of Chicago, Illinois, has been sentenced to 180 months in the Bureau of Prisons, to be served consecutive to a U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois sentence, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for armed bank robbery.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that, on the morning of May 1, 2023, Boyd entered a Chase Bank in Moline, Illinois, wearing a mask and carrying a duffle bag. Boyd brandished an apparent firearm, indicated he had a bomb, and ordered employees and customers to “get on the ground”. Boyd then placed the duffel bag on the counter and directed bank employees to fill the bag with currency.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge James E. Shadid found that, in January of 2021, Boyd was released early from a previous prison sentence for multiple armed bank robberies, and that at the time of this offense he was on supervised release from the Bureau of Prisons. Judge Shadid also noted that Boyd’s extensive criminal history indicated he was a risk to reoffend, that prior prison sentences had not deterred Boyd from engaging in new crimes, and that a lengthy sentence was necessary to protect the community from further harm.
Boyd was arrested on May 5, 2023, and has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his arrest. Boyd pleaded guilty on September 19, 2023.
The statutory penalties for armed bank robbery are up to 25 years in prison.
Moline Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Supervisory Assistant U.S Attorney John Mehochko represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Boyd is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Illinois Family Members Sentenced for Kidnapping, Forced Labor and Conspiracy for Coercing Two Minors and a Third Victim in Years-Long SchemeRead the Press Release
Domingo Francisco-Juan, 44, was sentenced today to life in prison for kidnapping, forced labor and conspiracy to commit kidnapping and forced labor. The court also ordered Francisco-Juan to pay $50,000 in restitution to a victim. His codefendant Lorenza Domingo-Castaneda, 35, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, and also ordered her to pay over $80,000 in restitution to three victims.
A third defendant, Catarina Domingo-Juan, 41, was previously sentenced on Dec. 18, 2023, to 240 months in prison for forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, and was ordered to pay over $80,000 in restitution to three victims. All three defendants are siblings and Guatemalan nationals.
“Forced labor crimes exploit children and some of the most vulnerable members of society and strike at the heart of human dignity,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Francisco-Juan’s sentence is historic, marking the first life sentence in over a decade in a forced labor case under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. These victims, two of them children, were subjected to physical and sexual abuse to compel them to work as domestic servants, hotel maids and factory laborers. We are grateful to the survivors of these crimes for their tremendous courage in coming forward and reporting the violence and abuse they suffered. The sentences imposed in this case should send a message to human traffickers everywhere that there will be severe consequences for their actions and the Justice Department stands ready to hold them accountable for their violent and coercive schemes.”
“The partnerships across all levels of government were imperative in bringing these individuals to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris for the Central District of Illinois. “We appreciate the dedication and time that all the federal, state and local law enforcement agencies involved have committed to this case. We also commend the various victim services organizations, both private and public, who provided support and services to the victims in this case. Labor traffickers are insidious in the way they control their victims, and we will continue the fight to protect endangered members of our society from these horrific crimes.”
“Today’s sentences shine a bright light on the very real presence of forced labor crimes in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago. “HSI special agents will continue to fight against the exploitation of the vulnerable and support victims by providing critical resources and services. Well done to the HSI special agents and our law enforcement community partners for bringing these predators to justice.”
According to court documents, the defendants, who are siblings, conspired to bring one minor victim from Guatemala to the United States to work in Domingo-Castaneda and Domingo-Juan’s homes between December 2015 and January 2021. Francisco-Juan accompanied the minor victim into the United States after falsely assuring the victim’s mother that the victim would receive a better education and opportunities within the United States if permitted to travel with him. Domingo-Juan took custody of the minor victim after falsely claiming to government officials that she was the minor victim’s relative.
Instead of providing the minor victim with access to an education and better opportunities within the United States, the defendants cut off the minor victim from her family and compelled her into working around the clock for their benefit. Domingo-Castaneda and Domingo-Juan took the money that the minor victim earned working outside of their homes, and Francisco-Juan benefitted by receiving the victim’s domestic services around the homes.
Court documents also show that Domingo-Castaneda and Domingo-Juan conspired to compel the labor and services of a separate minor victim and an adult victim in their homes and in area businesses between December 2018 and March 2021. Similar to the first minor victim, Domingo-Castaneda used false promises of a better life and education within the United States to lure the minor victim away from her mother and entice her into traveling to the United States. Instead of following through with her promises, Domingo-Castaneda, along with Domingo-Juan, compelled the minor victim and the adult victim to provide domestic services around their homes and required both victims to give them all of the earnings they made while working at area businesses.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, with assistance from the Champaign Police Department, Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service and Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Freres for the Central District of Illinois prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Illinois Family Members Sentenced for Kidnapping, Forced Labor and Conspiracy for Coercing Two Minors and a Third Victim in Years-Long SchemeRead the Press Release
Domingo Francisco-Juan, 44, was sentenced today to life in prison for kidnapping, forced labor and conspiracy to commit kidnapping and forced labor. The court also ordered Francisco-Juan to pay $50,000 in restitution to a victim. His codefendant Lorenza Domingo-Castaneda, 35, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, and also ordered her to pay over $80,000 in restitution to three victims.
A third defendant, Catarina Domingo-Juan, 41, was previously sentenced on Dec. 18, 2023, to 240 months in prison for forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, and was ordered to pay over $80,000 in restitution to three victims. All three defendants are siblings and Guatemalan nationals.
“Forced labor crimes exploit children and some of the most vulnerable members of society and strike at the heart of human dignity,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Francisco-Juan’s sentence is historic, marking the first life sentence in over a decade in a forced labor case under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. These victims, two of them children, were subjected to physical and sexual abuse to compel them to work as domestic servants, hotel maids and factory laborers. We are grateful to the survivors of these crimes for their tremendous courage in coming forward and reporting the violence and abuse they suffered. The sentences imposed in this case should send a message to human traffickers everywhere that there will be severe consequences for their actions and the Justice Department stands ready to hold them accountable for their violent and coercive schemes.”
“The partnerships across all levels of government were imperative in bringing these individuals to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris for the Central District of Illinois. “We appreciate the dedication and time that all the federal, state and local law enforcement agencies involved have committed to this case. We also commend the various victim services organizations, both private and public, who provided support and services to the victims in this case. Labor traffickers are insidious in the way they control their victims, and we will continue the fight to protect endangered members of our society from these horrific crimes.”
“Today’s sentences shine a bright light on the very real presence of forced labor crimes in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago. “HSI special agents will continue to fight against the exploitation of the vulnerable and support victims by providing critical resources and services. Well done to the HSI special agents and our law enforcement community partners for bringing these predators to justice.”
According to court documents, the defendants, who are siblings, conspired to bring one minor victim from Guatemala to the United States to work in Domingo-Castaneda and Domingo-Juan’s homes between December 2015 and January 2021. Francisco-Juan accompanied the minor victim into the United States after falsely assuring the victim’s mother that the victim would receive a better education and opportunities within the United States if permitted to travel with him. Domingo-Juan took custody of the minor victim after falsely claiming to government officials that she was the minor victim’s relative.
Instead of providing the minor victim with access to an education and better opportunities within the United States, the defendants cut off the minor victim from her family and compelled her into working around the clock for their benefit. Domingo-Castaneda and Domingo-Juan took the money that the minor victim earned working outside of their homes, and Francisco-Juan benefitted by receiving the victim’s domestic services around the homes.
Court documents also show that Domingo-Castaneda and Domingo-Juan conspired to compel the labor and services of a separate minor victim and an adult victim in their homes and in area businesses between December 2018 and March 2021. Similar to the first minor victim, Domingo-Castaneda used false promises of a better life and education within the United States to lure the minor victim away from her mother and entice her into traveling to the United States. Instead of following through with her promises, Domingo-Castaneda, along with Domingo-Juan, compelled the minor victim and the adult victim to provide domestic services around their homes and required both victims to give them all of the earnings they made while working at area businesses.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, with assistance from the Champaign Police Department, Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service and Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Freres for the Central District of Illinois prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Decatur Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting MinorsRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Decatur, Illinois, man, Kevin Dial, 52, of the 5100th block of Hickory Point Frontage Road, was sentenced on April 5, 2024, to 50 years imprisonment for sexual exploitation of minors, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Dial directed the sexual abuse of three minors, including a two-year-old child, and ordered that the abuse be recorded. The government also presented a statement by one of the victims detailing the trauma he suffered because of the sexual abuse he endured at the order of Dial.
During the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Colin S. Bruce described Dial’s actions as “horrific,” noting the defendant had destroyed the lives of his victims. The Court further described this case as one of the worst cases that had come before him.
Dial was convicted following a three-day jury trial in October of 2023.
At sentencing, Dial faced statutory penalties of 15 to 30 years imprisonment on each count of the sexual exploitation of his children and up to 20 years for receiving and possessing child pornography. Those penalties could be imposed to be served consecutively, which the Court chose to do.
“The acts by this defendant are beyond comprehension.” said United States Attorney Gregory K. Harris, “We commend the complex work done locally and abroad by the dedicated law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly to protect the most vulnerable among us and seek justice for these innocent victims.”
“From Decatur, Illinois, to the Philippines, the FBI’s extensive reach delivered justice to children who were victims of one of the worst child sexual abuse cases we have seen in some time,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “The investigation, which resulted in a significant sentence, demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to use the full strength of our authority to protect children.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, with assistance from the Philippine National Police, investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Ritzer and Nathan Bertrand represented the government in the prosecution.
Pembroke Township Man Convicted of Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Urbana, Ill. – A federal jury returned guilty verdicts on 3 offenses on March 28, 2024, against Larry Dean Gibbs, 64, of E. 6000 Road in Pembroke Township, Illinois, for Filing False Federal Income Tax Returns. Sentencing for Gibbs has been scheduled for July 17, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
During two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that, in January of 2017, Gibbs filed three federal income tax returns for the tax years 2012, 2013, and 2014, each falsely claiming that he had earned $10 million in annual income from the “Larry Dean Gibbs Estate.” Gibbs further falsely claimed that the IRS withheld over $3 million per year from his earnings each year and that he was entitled to refunds totaling over $6.8 million. In contemporaneous filings, Gibbs claimed that he had changed his name to Mulumbua Humraukn El Taikem Bey and that he was the Ambassador for the Al Moroccan Empire National Republic, which is not officially recognized by the U.S. State Department. At the time Gibbs filed the three false tax returns, he had just been released from federal prison for a prior conviction for filing a false federal tax return in 2005, when he had obtained a $66,282 refund to which he was not entitled.
“With the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners, the United States Attorney’s Office will continue to protect our society by actively prosecuting individuals who defraud the government and, ultimately, honest taxpayers” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris.
“This verdict is an appropriate outcome to the fraud that Larry Gibbs committed against the U.S. Treasury. Instead of learning from his prior conviction for tax fraud, Gibbs decided to flaunt the Internal Revenue Code, yet again,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “We look forward to the conclusion of this case at sentencing.”
“This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working with our federal investigative and prosecutorial partners to hold defendants accountable for their fraud schemes,” said Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Division of the FBI. “We will continue to take strong action against those who seek to profit illegally from the theft of taxpayer dollars.”
Gibbs remains released on conditions of bond, which includes home detention, pending sentencing.
At sentencing, Gibbs faces statutory penalties of up to three years of imprisonment and a $100,000 fine on each of the three counts of conviction.
The case investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division and Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chicago Field Office. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government at trial.
Decatur Man Sentenced to 300 Months in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Decatur, Illinois, man, Tevin Ford, 29, was sentenced on March 13, 2024 to 300 months in the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a child.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Ford had sexually assaulted three minors at a hotel room in Decatur in September of 2021. Also at the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael M. Mihm found that Ford’s intent to abuse the minors had been clear from the beginning of the offense.
Ford pleaded guilty to the offense on September 14, 2023.
The statutory penalties for sexual exploitation of a child are 15 to 30 years imprisonment; a fine up to $250,000; and not less than five years of supervised release.
Decatur Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the United States Marshal Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elly Peirson and Rachel Ritzer represented the government in the prosecution.
This case was investigated as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Savoy, Illinois Man Sentenced to 15 years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
Peoria, Ill. – A Savoy, Illinois man, David Berry, of the 800 block of Hartwell, has been sentenced to 180 months in the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and registration as a sex offender, for the sexual exploitation of a minor.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that in October of 2021, Berry brought a minor to his home, sexually assaulted her, and recorded the acts on video.
During the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Mihm noted that Berry was responsible for trauma caused to the minor and ordered a $6,140 restitution amount.
Berry was indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in February of 2022. He pleaded guilty in September of 2023.
The statutory penalties for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor are 15 to 30 years in prison, and 5 years to life term of supervised release.
The U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Champaign County Sherriff’s Office, the Urbana Police Department, and the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office participated in the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon O’Brien, who is also the Deputy Bureau Chief in the High Tech Crimes Bureau for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, represented the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), to marshal federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Quincy, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 162 Months for Distributing Heroin Mixed with FentanylRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Quincy, Illinois, man, Ralph Thompson, 38, was sentenced on March 7, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless to 150 months in prison for distributing heroin that also contained fentanyl. He received an additional 12 months for committing the new offense while he was on supervised release for a prior federal drug offense, for a total of 162 months.
Thompson was indicted on November 15, 2022, and pleaded guilty on November 6, 2023. He has been detained by the United States Marshals Service since his arrest in November of 2022. This is Thompson’s third federal drug conviction. Thompson has state convictions for possession of a controlled substance and for being a felon in possession of a weapon. The evidence presented at the sentencing hearing showed that Thompson was selling heroin containing fentanyl in Moline, Rock Island and Quincy. In total, he was held accountable for 100 grams of heroin and 35 grams of fentanyl.
The statutory penalties for distributing methamphetamine are up to 40 years’ imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Illinois State Police, the Moline Police Department, the Rock Island Police Department, and the Quincy Police Department with assistance from the Adams County States Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Thompson is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former Treasurer of Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation Pleads Guilty to Defrauding FoundationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield woman, LeAnn Shirley, 57, of the 40 block of Pinto Drive, pleaded guilty on March 7, 2024, to wire fraud relating to funds belonging to the Illinois State Police Heritage Fund. Sentencing for Shirley has been scheduled for July 17, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.
In court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen McNaught, Shirley admitted that, in 2019 when she was the Foundation’s treasurer, she devised a scheme to defraud the Foundation by causing approximately $79,000 to be wired from a Foundation bank account in Illinois to an account in Vermont. After the money was transferred to the bank in Vermont, all but approximately $5,000 of it was then transferred into a cryptocurrency account by a third-party. To facilitate the initial transfer, Shirley falsely claimed to bank employees that the payment was being used to ship items for the Foundation and that the Foundation would be reimbursed in the next couple of weeks.
The Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation is a charity under Internal Revenue Service Section 501(c)(3) committed to preserving the history of the Illinois State Police.
The statutory penalties for wire fraud are up to 20 years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Jacobs is representing the government in the prosecution.
Peoria Man Pleads Guilty to Wide-Ranging Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Chad D. Campen, 34, of the 6100 block of Pfeiffer Road, pleaded guilty on March 5, 2024, to one count of bank fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, one count of bankruptcy fraud, and one count of false statements under oath. Sentencing for Campen has been scheduled for July 11, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
In court before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, Campen admitted that he had orchestrated a long-term fraud scheme in which he lied about his business involvement and success and created false and fraudulent documents to deceive his victims. Campen obtained money from various financial institutions as well as goods, services, and funds from individuals and companies throughout central Illinois. At the hearing, the government stated that beginning as early as January 2013, Campen engaged in a scheme to defraud in which he made several false and fraudulent statements to banks and others. Specifically, Campen obtained funds by falsely claiming his success in multiple business ventures; representing to others the amount of land he was farming; claiming that he sold agricultural inputs; that he had substantial amounts of grain stored; representing that he had substantial assets and that he was a financial success.
Campen has been in the custody of U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest on January 25, 2022, and remains in custody pending sentencing.
Campen faces statutory penalties as follows: Bank Fraud up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and 5 years’ supervised release; for Wire Fraud, up to twenty years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years’ supervised release for each count; for Illegal Monetary Transaction, up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine (or twice the amount of the criminally derived property), and 3 years supervised release, for Bankruptcy Fraud and False Statement Under Oath, up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years’ supervised release for each count.
The matter was referred to the United States Attorney’s Office by the United States Trustee for Region 10. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer is representing the government in the prosecution.
Quincy, Illinois Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Quincy, Illinois man, Henry Speirs, 35, of the 700 block of Harrison Street, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough to 60 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual). After he completes his prison sentence, he will serve four years of supervised release.
Speirs was indicted in November 2020 and pleaded guilty in July of 2023. He has been detained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his arrest in 2020. Two co-defendants were previously sentenced, Brent Garner received a ten-year sentence and Brandy Friday received a five-year sentence. In total, Speirs was held accountable for 1,191.19 grams of methamphetamine.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) are not less than 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, not more than a $5,000,000 fine, and not less than 4 years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Springfield Field Office, Illinois State Police West Central Illinois Task Force, and Quincy Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Speirs was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Quincy, Illinois Man Found Guilty of Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – On February 23, 2024, Glenn Wooden, 39, of Quincy was found guilty by a federal jury of three counts of distributing methamphetamine and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.
Over two days of trial before U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless, the United States presented evidence establishing the three controlled buys and the search of the defendant’s residence leading to the seizure of the drugs forming the basis of count four. Besides law enforcement agents, a DEA laboratory scientist testified as to the purity and weight of the methamphetamine. In total, the methamphetamine weighed 327 grams.
Sentencing for Wooden has been scheduled for July 2, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois. At sentencing, Wooden faces a potential prison sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, not less than 5 years and up to life of supervised release and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
The Illinois State Police West Central Illinois Task Force, and Quincy Police Department investigated the case with assistance from Adams County States Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Z. Weir and Sarah E. Seberger represented the government at trial.
North Henderson, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A North Henderson man, Alan Dean Secrist, 48, of the 500 block of 300th Street, North Henderson, Illinois, was sentenced on February 14, 2024, to 30 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for Failure to Register as a sex offender.
At the sentencing hearing, Chief United States District Judge Sara L. Darrow determined that Secrist was a Tier III offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) and was required to register for life as a sex offender due to his 2011 conviction in Knox County, Illinois, for aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Secrist failed to register his residence and in March of 2023, he was located arrested on the charge. Secrist has remained in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
Secrist pleaded guilty in October 2023, to Failure to Register. The statutory penalty for failure to register as a sex offender is up to 10 years of imprisonment, to be followed by 5 years to life of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the Galesburg Police Department, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the Fountain Police Department in Fountain, Colorado, and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Lee Aguilar represented the federal government in the prosecution.
Davenport, Iowa Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Firearms ConvictionRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Davenport, Iowa, man, Charles H. Perdue II, 25, of the 1300 block of West Third Street, Davenport, was sentenced on February 14, 2024, to 48 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years supervised release, for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
At the sentencing hearing before Chief United States District Judge Sara L. Darrow, the government established that on May 10, 2023, Perdue, who had previously been convicted of felony offenses in Cook County, Illinois and Scott County, Iowa, was stopped in the vicinity of 12th Street, Rock Island, by City of Rock Island Police. Officers were aware that Perdue had an outstanding warrant from Scott County, Iowa, for a probation violation for an additional weapons offense. A search of Perdue’s backpack yielded a Glock 23 Gen5 firearm with an attached laser/flashlight. The firearm was loaded with an extended magazine containing 27 rounds of live ammunition. Perdue has remained in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in July 2023.
Perdue pleaded guilty on October 11, 2023, to Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The statutory penalty for this offense is up to 15 years imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of not more than $250,000.
The case against Perdue is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rock Island Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Aguilar represented the government in the prosecution.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to Twenty Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Denziel Witherspoon, 32, was sentenced on February 15, 2024, by Senior U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough to twenty years in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release, for his role in a wide-spread drug conspiracy lasting from approximately May of 2020 through November of 2020.
At the sentencing hearing, Witherspoon was held accountable for 72,000 grams of methamphetamine, 12,000 grams of heroin, 6,000 grams of fentanyl, and 5,129.1 grams of marijuana. During the hearing, Judge Myerscough noted that the amount of drugs Witherspoon was responsible for was the most she had seen during her judicial career.
Co-defendants in the case have received the following sentences James Cooper, 180 months; Isadore Montgomery, 120 months; Rashaud Brown, 84 months; Paul Davis, 40 months; and Taylor Cockrell, 36 months.
Charges remain pending against Derrick Bailey, Lavar Maney, Dorothy Jackson, Christopher Wallace, Haley Riley, Haylee Vaughn, and Shelton Witherspoon. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Witherspoon was indicted on December 15, 2020, and pleaded guilty on February 9, 2023. He has remained in the custody of the United States Marshal since his arrest.
The statutory penalties for the most serious charge Witherspoon was convicted of include, 15 years to life imprisonment, up to a $20,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, Illinois State Police, and Springfield Police Department Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Witherspoon was part of an investigation of the Springfield based Boss Playas street gang and was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Peoria Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit Bank Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Richard Weiss, 62, of the 1500 block of North Knoxville Avenue, pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Sentencing for Weiss will be scheduled following the conclusion of proceedings against a co-conspirator.
At the hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, Weiss admitted that he conspired with another federal defendant, Chad D. Campen, who is separately charged with multiple felony offenses, to create false and fraudulent documents. Weiss admitted that he created, at Campen’s direction, false bank statements, tax returns, and other documents for the express purpose of deceiving banks and other third parties.
In Court, the government stated Weiss had gone into business with Campen and allowed Campen to corrupt him into creating false documents, artificially inflating Campen’s apparent wealth and success. This included Weiss altering bank statements for Campen to make it appear that the account held approximately $200,000 more than it contained.
Weiss’ scheme with Campen began in or around August 2015, continuing to about January 2022, during which Weiss and Campen knowingly engaged in a scheme to defraud several financial institutions, including Community State Bank, headquartered in Galva, Illinois, with branches and offices throughout Central Illinois.
Weiss faces statutory penalties of up to 30 years imprisonment, $250,000 in fines and 5 years of supervised release on the bank fraud charge, and up to 20 years imprisonment, up to $500,000 in fines or twice the value of the property involved in the transactions and up to 5 years of supervised release on the money laundering charge.
The federal trial for Campen is scheduled to begin on April 8, 2024. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment against Campen is merely an accusation; Campen is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer is representing the government in the prosecution.
Former Illinois State Senator, Gubernatorial Candidate Sam McCann Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Use of Campaign Funds, Money Laundering, Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – During the third day of former Illinois State Senator William Samuel McCann Jr.’s bench trial before U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless, McCann pleaded guilty to nine counts of the indictment which charged him with seven counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of tax evasion related to his alleged misuse of campaign funds for personal expenses.
Prior to the commencement of the trial, the Court revoked McCann’s pretrial release and ordered that he be detained. During the trial, the government’s evidence established, and McCann admitted during the plea hearing, that from about May 2015 to June 2020, McCann engaged in a scheme to convert more than $200,000 and potentially more than $500,000 in contributions and donations made to his campaign committees to pay himself and make personal purchases, and that he concealed his fraud from donors, the public, the Illinois State Board of Elections and law enforcement authorities.
Following the plea hearing, McCann requested that he be released to home confinement pending sentencing and the Court scheduled a detention hearing for today, February 16, 2024. During the detention hearing the government presented a video that McCann recorded just prior to his detainment on Friday, February 9, 2024, in which McCann referenced the government’s conspiracy against him, among other accusations. Judge Lawless noted that the video raised her concern regarding McCann’s harming himself and his truthfulness with the Court, and ordered McCann detained pending sentencing.
Following the detention hearing, United States Attorney Gregory K. Harris stated, “We want to extend our sincere thanks to the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service for their tireless efforts in the thorough investigation and prosecution of this case.”
A sentencing hearing for McCann is scheduled for June 20, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. The statutory penalty for each count of wire fraud (seven counts) and one count of money laundering is up to 20 years in prison. For tax evasion, the statutory penalty is up to 5 years in prison.
William Samuel McCann, Jr., 54, of Plainview, Ill., served as a state senator for the 49th District of Illinois from 2011 to 2013, and for the redrawn 50th District from 2013 to January 2019. McCann formed the Conservative Party of Illinois and, in 2018, launched an unsuccessful bid for Illinois Governor. McCann previously lived in Carlinville, Ill., and owned and operated two construction related businesses.
McCann organized multiple political committees that were registered with the Illinois State Board of Elections: Sam McCann for Senate; Sam McCann for Senate Committee; McCann for Illinois; and Conservative Party of Illinois. According to the indictment, from April 2011 to November 2018, McCann and his political committees received more than $5 million in campaign donations.
During his plea hearing, McCann admitted that he used campaign funds to purchase personal vehicles, pay personal debts, make mortgage payments, and pay himself, including the following:
- McCann used more than $60,000 in campaign funds to partially fund the purchases of a 2017 Ford Expedition in April 2017 and a 2018 Ford F-250 truck in July 2018, which he titled in his own name and used for his personal travel. McCann then used campaign funds for loan payments on the F-250 and for fuel and insurance expenses for both vehicles, while at the same time using campaign funds to reimburse mileage expense claims which he did not incur.
- In April 2018, McCann used $18,000 in campaign funds to purchase a 2018 recreational travel trailer, and in May 2018, used $25,000 in campaign funds to buy a 2006 recreational motor home, both of which McCann titled in his personal name.
McCann established an online account with a recreational vehicle rental business in Ohio and listed the vehicles for rent identifying Sam McCann as the owner. McCann then established a second account with the same rental business and identified himself as William McCann, a potential renter, with a different residential address and email than those he listed as the owner. From approximately May 2018 to June 2018, McCann, while representing himself as the renter, William, rented both the travel trailer and motor home from Sam, the owner, through the RV rental business. McCann caused a total of approximately $62,666 in campaign funds be used to pay the rental cost of the vehicles. The rental business retained approximately $9,838 for commission and paid McCann, as the owner, approximately $52,827 by direct deposit to McCann’s personal checking account. McCann reimbursed the campaign accounts $18,000, resulting in more than $77,000 in campaign funds used to buy and rent from himself.
- On or about Oct. 4, 2016, McCann used a $20,000 cashier’s check funded by a campaign account and issued to himself to pay off a personal loan, including legal fees, that had originally been issued to him as an equipment loan in 2011 and was in collection by the bank due to non-payment.
- From May 2015 to August 2020, McCann used campaign funds to pay approximately $64,750 on two separate personal mortgage loans that were secured by his former residence in Carlinville and an adjoining property used as an office for his construction business.
- In November 2018, after an unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Illinois, when he was no longer a candidate for office and did not financially support any other candidate, and continuing to June 2020, McCann caused the Conservative Party of Illinois to issue approximately $187,000 in payments to himself personally and an additional $52,282 in payments for payroll taxes. Using a payroll service, McCann was able to conceal himself as the payee for the expenditures from the campaign account.
- McCann also admitted that approximately $50,000 in campaign funds were used for personal expenses including Green Dot credit card payments related to a family vacation in Colorado and other personal expenses, charges from Apple iTunes, Amazon, a skeet and trap club, Cabela’s, Scheels, Best Buy, a gun store, and cash withdrawals.
- In relation to his joint return for calendar year 2018. McCann failed to report income from his 2018 rental payments to himself for the RV trailer and motor home. In addition, in March 2018, McCann used a $10,000 check issued by a campaign account to make a down payment to a Shipman, Ill., business for a motor home. When the purchase was not completed, the business issued a $10,000 refund check payable to William McCann, which he deposited to his personal checking account and failed to report as income received.
The charges are the result of investigation by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Bass is representing the government in the prosecution.
Rockford Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon in SpringfieldRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Rockford, Ill., man, Joshua Mathies, 28, of the 800 block of North Court Street, was sentenced on February 8, 2024, by Senior U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough to 48 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a felon.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Mathies had taken a semi-automatic weapon into a Springfield bar on the night of his arrest and then attempted to flee when approached by police, who had been notified by a fellow bar patron about Mathies’ possessing the gun. As he was trying to flee, Mathies was tasered. At the time of his arrest, Mathies was on parole from the Illinois Department of Corrections for a previous gun offense.
Mathies has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service since his arrest on May 14, 2023.
The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by a felon are up to 15 years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to a three-year term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Springfield Police Department with assistance from the Sangamon County Sheriff, the Illinois State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Mathies is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Franklin, Indiana, Man Sentenced to 172 Months in Prison for Transporting a Minor with Intent to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Franklin, Indiana, man, Dylan B. Clark, 20, of the 1500 block of South Highland Drive, has been sentenced to 172 months in prison, to be followed by ten years of supervised release, for transporting a minor across state lines, with intent to engage in sexual activity.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Clark, who was 19 years old, traveled from his home in Indiana into Illinois to pick up an 11-year-old girl, returning with her to his home, where he engaged in sexual conduct with the child.
During the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Colin S. Bruce noted that the offense was “horrific,” and that Clark had irrevocably scarred a child through his actions.
Clark has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service since his arrest on September 2, 2022. He pleaded guilty to the offense on September 8, 2023.
The statutory penalties for transporting a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity are a prison term of not less than 10 years and a term of supervised release of not less than five years.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of Illinois and elsewhere continues to fight to protect this nation’s children from sexual abusers. Through the hard work of specialized agents within the Federal Bureau of Investigation and close cooperation with local law enforcement agencies across Illinois and Indiana, justice was gained for the minor victim in this tragic case,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel E. Ritzer.
“A child’s vulnerability can easily be exploited by offenders like Clark. Even though this sentence reflects the magnitude of his criminal conduct, it cannot undo the impact suffered by an 11-year-old child,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “The FBI is committed to ensuring that those intent on harming children will instead spend their days behind bars.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, Vermilion County (IL) Sheriff’s Department, and the Johnson County (IN) Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel E. Ritzer represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Clark was investigated as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Stewardson, Illinois, Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Stewardson, Illinois, woman, Julie R. Williams, 54, pleaded guilty on February 7, 2024, to four counts of wire fraud. Sentencing for Williams has been scheduled on June 10, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
In court before U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce, Williams admitted to stealing money from her former employer, Charleston-Mattoon-based Apex Property Management, from October 2014 through February 2016. Williams further admitted to making materially false entries into the company’s software system to conceal her thefts.
Williams remains on bond pending sentencing.
Williams faces statutory penalties of up to 80 years’ imprisonment; up to a $1,000,000 fine; and up to a twelve-year term of supervised release.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Mattoon Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Ritzer and William Lynch are representing the government in the prosecution.
Clinton, Indiana, Woman Charged with Murder-for-HireRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on February 6, 2024, charging a Clinton, Indiana, woman, Davetta Cox, 31, with an alleged murder-for-hire scheme occurring from January 16, 2024, through January 26, 2024.
The indictment alleges in two counts that Cox sought to hire someone she believed to be a hitman to kill another individual. The indictment further alleges that Cox offered $6,000 for the murder of this individual.
Cox was arrested in Charleston, Illinois, on January 26, 2024, and has remained in the custody of law enforcement in Macon County, Illinois.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are up to 20 years imprisonment; up to a $500,000 fine; and up to a six-year term of supervised release.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Ritzer is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Morton Man Pleads Guilty to Two Felony Counts in Connection with Scheme to Defraud Former EmployerRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Morton, Illinois, man, Aaron Rossi, 40, pleaded guilty today to two felonies connected to a scheme to defraud both his former employer, a Bloomington, Illinois, medical clinic, and the United States. Rossi pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of filing a false federal tax return in relation to this scheme. Sentencing for Rossi has been scheduled for June 5, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
A federal grand jury initially returned an indictment in March 2022, charging Rossi with three counts of filing false tax returns. A superseding indictment was returned in July 2022 that added six counts of mail fraud.
In court before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, Rossi admitted that he had carried out the scheme. He told the judge that he had not given all of his earnings information to his accountant so that he would not have to pay taxes on that income. He also admitted that he had taken funds from his former employer, Central Illinois Orthopedic Surgery in Bloomington, without their knowledge or permission, and had purchased personal items, including clothing and an ultra-high-definition big screen television, which he had mailed to his home.
During the hearing, the government noted that Rossi had been involved in extensive fraud upon his employer. This fraud included his purchase of thousands of dollars of clothing from an upscale men’s store and payment for that clothing using company funds. Rossi hid his clothing purchases by calling them “medical supplies” or “uniforms” in his employer’s books and records. Rossi’s undisclosed expenditures also included leasing a luxury vehicle for himself and renting a private plane for his bachelor party. The government further stated that in just 2017, Rossi had more than $500,000 in income that he purposefully hid from the United States and did not declare on his taxes.
Rossi was originally released on bond following indictment but was placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service in September 2023 after multiple bond violations. He remains in custody pending sentencing.
Rossi faces statutory penalties of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for the mail fraud count, and up to three years’ imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for the false tax return count. Each of the counts also carries the potential of a fine.
The case investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Tanner K. Jacobs represent the government in the prosecution.
Morton Man Pleads Guilty to Two Felony Counts in Connection with Scheme to Defraud Former EmployerRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Morton, Illinois, man, Aaron Rossi, 40, pleaded guilty today to two felonies connected to a scheme to defraud both his former employer, a Bloomington, Illinois, medical clinic, and the United States. Rossi pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of filing a false federal tax return in relation to this scheme. Sentencing for Rossi has been scheduled for June 5, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
A federal grand jury initially returned an indictment in March 2022, charging Rossi with three counts of filing false tax returns. A superseding indictment was returned in July 2022 that added six counts of mail fraud.
In court before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, Rossi admitted that he had carried out the scheme. He told the judge that he had not given all of his earnings information to his accountant so that he would not have to pay taxes on that income. He also admitted that he had taken funds from his former employer, Central Illinois Orthopedic Surgery in Bloomington, without their knowledge or permission, and had purchased personal items, including clothing and an ultra-high-definition big screen television, which he had mailed to his home.
During the hearing, the government noted that Rossi had been involved in extensive fraud upon his employer. This fraud included his purchase of thousands of dollars of clothing from an upscale men’s store and payment for that clothing using company funds. Rossi hid his clothing purchases by calling them “medical supplies” or “uniforms” in his employer’s books and records. Rossi’s undisclosed expenditures also included leasing a luxury vehicle for himself and renting a private plane for his bachelor party. The government further stated that in just 2017, Rossi had more than $500,000 in income that he purposefully hid from the United States and did not declare on his taxes.
Rossi was originally released on bond following indictment but was placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service in September 2023 after multiple bond violations. He remains in custody pending sentencing.
Rossi faces statutory penalties of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for the mail fraud count, and up to three years’ imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for the false tax return count. Each of the counts also carries the potential of a fine.
The case investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Tanner K. Jacobs represent the government in the prosecution.
Central Illinois Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Attempted Arson of ClinicRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Prophetstown, Illinois, man, Philip J. Buyno, 73, was sentenced today to five years of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for attempting to use fire to damage a building used in interstate commerce. United States District Judge Colin S. Bruce also ordered that Buyno pay $327,547.14 in restitution.
Buyno had previously pleaded guilty, admitting that, on May 20, 2023, he brought several containers filled with gasoline with him and used his car to breach the front entrance to a commercial building at 600 N. Logan Avenue in Danville, Illinois, for the purpose of burning it down before it could be used as a reproductive health clinic. Danville police officers responded to an alarm at the building around 4:30 a.m. early on a Saturday morning. They found Buyno stuck inside a maroon Volkswagen Passat that he had backed into the entrance of the building, which was being renovated for use as a reproductive health clinic. A search of the car by FBI agents found bottles containing gasoline, a hatchet, road flares, multiple old tires, and a pack of matches. Agents also found that Buyno had fortified the trunk of the Passat with 4x4 wooden beams.
Buyno was arrested on May 20, 2023, and has remained in official custody since that time.
Buyno faced statutory penalties of a minimum five years up to twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, three years of supervised release, and restitution for the damage caused to the building.
“Our office strongly condemns the defendant’s attempt to prevent women in our community from accessing important reproductive health services,” said U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois Gregory K. Harris. “We are committed to prosecuting such crimes and thank our federal and local law enforcement officers for their critical work in pursuing this case.”
“The FBI will always protect First Amendment rights, but when someone crosses the line from expressing beliefs to violating federal law, we will work to hold them accountable,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “It is important to remember to immediately report suspicious behavior or threats of violence by calling FBI Springfield at 217-522-9675.”
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Danville Police Department. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government in the prosecution.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 10 years in Prison for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – David Jackson, 45, of Springfield, Illinois, was sentenced on January 24, 2024, to an aggregate sentence of 120 months in the Bureau of Prisons for distribution of heroin and possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Jackson will also be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release following that sentence of imprisonment.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Jackson prepared, packaged, and sold heroin while in possession of a firearm. Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid found that Jackson qualified as a career offender based on certain prior convictions.
Jackson remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, where he has been since his federal arrest on June 8, 2022. The defendant pleaded guilty on July 5, 2023, before Judge Shadid.
The statutory penalties for distribution of heroin are up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine. The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime require a minimum sentence of 60 months’ imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence in the case.
The Springfield Police Department’s Pro-Active Crime Unit investigated the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution. The case against Jackson is part of a committed effort to combat gun violence in Sangamon County, Illinois, by law enforcement including the Springfield Police Department, Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office, the ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The firearms case against Washington is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Silvis, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 210 Months in Prison for Distribution, Sale, and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Silvis, Illinois, man, Aaron Ruthey, 43, was sentenced on January 17, 2024, to an aggregate 210 months of imprisonment, to be followed by ten years of supervised release, for distribution of child pornography, sale of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Ruthey was further ordered to pay restitution totaling $67,500.00 to nine victims.
At the sentencing hearing, the United States presented evidence establishing that Ruthey was engaged in the advertisement of and ultimate sale of an online collection of child pornography. Ruthey has remained in federal custody since his arrest on August 17, 2022.
Also at the hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow found that Ruthey not only sold child pornography but was an active participant in the child pornography market and capitalized on harm to the victims. Judge Darrow explained that Ruthey’s actions, including adding commentary to two of the images, increased the marketability and the demand for the content. Within the content Ruthey sold were videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
Ruthey pleaded guilty in June 2023 to all charges. The statutory penalties for the distribution of child pornography are five to twenty years of imprisonment; for the sale of child pornography, five to twenty years of imprisonment; and for possession of child pornography, up to twenty years of imprisonment. The penalties on each count include supervised release terms ranging from five years to life.
“This sentencing demonstrates the importance of collaboration between our state and federal partners in ensuring justice for and the safety of children in our community,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Mathew.
“The U.S. Secret Service remains committed to investigating and arresting individuals who sexually exploit children and transmit child sexual abuse material,” said Stephen S. Webster, Resident Agent in Charge, Springfield Resident Office, United States Secret Service. “We are proud of our partnerships with the federal, state, and local agencies who work collectively to investigate and prosecute crimes against minors. These predators cause significant and long-lasting damage, and we are dedicated to holding them accountable.”
“When law enforcement agencies work together, bringing multiple resources to the table, it is a force multiplier. Combatting crimes against children often takes this kind of collaboration,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “FBI Springfield values the relationships we have with our law enforcement partners, because those relationships result in safer communities.”